1996 Subaru Legacy

Climb a tree if you

by rainbowrev on Aug 30, 2012
Vehicle: 1996 Subaru Legacy LS 4dr Sedan AWD

This was the second car i ever owned and after a Hyundai Elantra this eas a god send. The 4 cylinders are great on gas especially on the highway. I took it mudding because i was young and kept up with a 4x4 bronco in the mud. I kept the gas down and it kept moving. I had alot of fun on ice as well, the awd is remarkable. I put alot of wear into that car but it never let up. I wrecked the suspension(totally my fault!) but it took a serious beating. also destroyed the bearings which where a cheap fix. lifters ticked after 157,000 miles with an oil leak. coolant problems at 175,000 miles but a new radiator for 1oo bucks self installed corected this. I sold it cheap. Loved the car. Great buy!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great car but 2.5l mechanically

by emilyxmay on Nov 24, 2011
Vehicle: 1996 Subaru Legacy LSi 4dr Wagon AWD

Purchased 2.5L Legacy Outback 10/09 - 156k - w/o inspection. W/in a week $1400 transfer case repair...had no AWD. Wonderful AWD now, BUT has cost $4500 past 2 yrs incl transfer case, timing belt, radiator + bi-mo. repairs. A/C has never worked. Ck eng light on constantly altho turns off by itself several days later. Recently a long-standing misfire issue became full blown problem. Car barely started making noises like a starter problem, shook horribly, probably only running on 1 cylinder. Today, it does start, runs somewhat smoothly, engine sounds odd. Blown engine? Will miss my beloved Outback. R.I.P. Now allocating my Suby repair budget to buy new car.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Love this car!

by speedy2015 on Jul 17, 2011
Vehicle: 1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD

I live in Maine and needed a car that could withstand our weather. I bought my '96 in December because I had heard good reviews about Subaru's. My dad was unsure about it because he had never worked on a Subaru before, but quickly changed his mind when he drove it in the snow. It doesn't shift very smoothly (for an automatic) anymore and the 2.5 likes the liquids a little more than I prefer. The check engine light has been on since I got the car (the previous owner said it was because of an oil leak) and the gas mileage is comparable to a half ton Dodge pick-up truck, but I still love this car.

Great awd car that thinks

by pasublvr on Sep 22, 2010
Vehicle: 1996 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD

After years of owning American made SUVs, and still wanting the roominess and 4wd of one, I settled on this. I am single and have no children, so friends and family thought I was crazy at first, but what a great car it has turned out to be! Am trading it in, 80k miles and no major repairs later, for a much newer Outback tomorrow.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Dead reliable , but clumsy

by WriConsult on Jun 29, 2010
Vehicle: 1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD

I've had Subarus because I need a reliable wagon. Few choices in the decadent SUV era. Bought our Outback when our beloved '90 Legacy w/205,000 mi got stolen. Glad we got a '96 5speed, the only 2.2 L Outback ever. Great for camping/biking/ski trips but not so fun in town: too long for many urban parking spots, HUGE turning radius made tight spots even harder, big blind spots in the rear view. Would drive the smaller, nimbler Forester or Impreza if got better mpg (they don't!) and didn't have the troublesome 2.5 L. I'm a skilled winter driver & use winter tires, so I'd even do without AWD for the extra 2 mpg. Subaru's fuel economy will be unacceptable in the future era of $5 gas.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Long time owner

by Gonk on Nov 12, 2009
Vehicle: 1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD

I owned this for over 13 years. Absolutely fun to drive. The most memorable drives were shortly after purchasing it in March 1996. We drove up to the mountains to get a good look at Comet Hyakutake. This began about 10:00PM and for the last 12 miles or so (past the road closed sign) we saw nothing but snowmobile tracks. I drove in perfect confidence. It was amazing. There were many other drives like that. I very reluctantly gave up on it after too many engine expenses.